One Snowy Night
by XanderInkWaster
Summary: Stephanie and her mystery man continue to enjoy time together, only this time in snowy conditions.
1. Chapter 1

**Janet Evanovich owns all.**

'Wow. Wow,' Stephanie repeated. She lay on her back on the floor wrapped in the bed sheets. Her legs bent at the knees and resting on the bed. She stared up at the ceiling watching the light from the fire make the shadows dance. The small fire still burned in the living room and its heat she felt from its small flames, the embers at the bottom glowing bright orange. She was glowing herself after their last round. 'Wow.'

'Wow?' he chuckled as he gulped in large amounts of water from the kitchen sink. His apartment was large, but all open plan, apart from a few closets and the bathroom. He watched her lay there and smiled to himself. He was definitely dehydrated after everything. 'You thirsty?' he asked her through deep breaths.

'No…' she trailed off and blinked her eyes, 'Oh wow.' She heard the tap turn off and him walk over quietly. He had a skill for sneaking up on her, but now she could hear him coming, except when he didn't want her to hear.

'Well now lass you weren't so bad yersel,' he said in his thick accent that she loved. He lay down behind her and stared down into her beautiful face. She was still on cloud nine which he chuckled at. Her face just completely astounded. 'If I recall ye are just as talented with those hip moments and soft lips.' His voice low, but higher than a whisper. She turned her eyes from the shadows and focused, looking up into his steely eyes which glowed a magnificent rich blue in the dark. She had never noticed that before and it was amazing. His eyes were like a shimmering ocean that captured you like a yearning explorer, but those eyes also were dangerous. Just like the ocean it tempts you to its beauty that you forget about the dangers of the deep and his eyes were both dangerous and tempting.

'You know it's finally a change from the rain.' She said, trying to make small talk to avoid silence.

'What is?' he asked confused.

She smiled broadly at him and rested an arm behind her head while the other lay across her, holding the sheets. 'The snow,' he still looked quizzically. 'Rain seemed to be our theme when we met and now it's snowing. I love the snow.' She said and listened to the wind howling outside, so cold and ferocious. It made being inside all the much warmer and she even shivered slightly at the thought of how cold it was outside.

'You ok?' he asked concerned after he saw her shiver.

'Yeah, perfect.' She said in a whisper and smiled again before closing her eyes and listening to the sounds of the fire crackle, which warmed her thoughts and body again.

'Ye know lass, ye can stay here another day if ye like?' he asked her and her eyes opened again.

'I'd like that,' she softly answered him and held her smile.

'Yeah?'

'Yeah,' she whispered and nodded then saw him smile and he kissed her forehead.

'Well that's just sound lass,' he laughed, pleased that she would say another night. 'We should do more than just…well what we're doing. How does breakfast sound?'

'It's still dark out.'

'It's five am.' He told her in and they both laughed.

'Hmm…perhaps in an hour,' she said and crossed her ankles. She felt his fingers trail across her arm and over her armpit making her giggle sweetly. 'That tickles.'

'It does?' he asked her and did it again and she pulled her arm down.

'Yes it does. Stop it.' She warned him through fits of giggles and narrowed her eyes to try and look intimidating.

'Ye know we could've went with Ranger and his crew. They were singing karaoke at a bar with their lady friends. Sort of like a couples night out. What would you sing with me?' she asked him smiling and he kissed her before rolling onto his back, his head beside hers.

'Me sing lass. Ha, keep dreaming.'

'Oh come on,' she whined and looked at him. 'It would be fun.'

'To you maybe, but not me.'

'Well I would sing with or without you.' She said and stuck her tongue out at him.

He smirked, 'What would ye sing then?'

'Promiscuous Girl,' she laughed and he shook his head.

'Ye would not.'

'No I wouldn't,' she said and kicked her legs through fits of laughter.

He watched her laugh then cut her off. 'Anymore of that cheekiness and you'll be sleeping outside.' She stopped laughing.

'It's freezing outside. That would be evil of you.' She complained in a joking manner.

'It might be, but then again,' he sat up again and grinned naughtily. 'Cold does do wonders to your nipples lass.' He watched her eyes widen and her face blush with embarrassment.

'What?' she squealed and smiled through her heated cheeks. 'You are so naughty.' She covered her face with her hands and giggled some more. When she finally stopped she looked back at him 'Perhaps you should grab some snow then, or ice.' She challenged back at him and he pulled the covers off her in one swift motion startling her, then he looked over her body and smiled.

'Looks like I won't need to.'

 **Something short for ye. For those that already read my Rainy series here's Snowy now. For those that don't u/6102704/ That's the link to my friends profile where she posted them for me cause I wanted to remain mysterious for a little while lol. Anyway they are titled One Rainy Night, One Rainy Morning, One Rainy Evening and One Rainy Afternoon so please read and review. (Ranger fans, the guy with Stephanie isn't Morelli). Thanks everyone.**


	2. Chapter 2

_'_ _How long has he been sitting there?' Mitch Anderson asked as he stared at the young man through the mirror screened glass._

 _Mitch Anderson a tall built man with receding close cropped hair and grim facial features had been newly promoted and transferred to this division. He had been hoping to get a better position, but once he found out what this division was he understood why he was chosen to succeed its predecessor. He never really got involved with the details of operations, but only gave the go order and did the dirty work for the higher ups when they requested it done. This recent mission however had ended in disaster with his chances of promotion gone. Seven months on the job and everything had fallen apart, the entire division was no longer existent. Not that it ever did officially exist, but now he had to clean up the mess that threatened to expose everyone._

 _Pressured from his superior he had no choice, but to lockdown the division until further notice. Everyone would be vetted and he himself face an inquiry to see if he made the right choices. As of right now though he wanted answers._

 _'_ _Since his debrief Sir,' said a soft female voice full of sympathy. Mitch turned away from the glass to look at her and he noticed the sadness in her eyes. Esther was her name and she had been here a lot longer than him. Her records were sealed as to how long she worked for the division, but he knew she had been here most of her life._

 _'_ _You care for him don't you?' he asked her, turning back to look at the young man. Young man didn't feel right. He was still a boy._

 _'_ _Of course Sir. He's just lost everyone he's ever loved.'_

 _'_ _We all lose someone in this line of work. He needs to learn that and it's good that he learnt it early.' Mitch said in an uncaring tone that sounded angered also._

 _'_ _No' Esther objected. 'He's just a boy and he shouldn't have to experience loss like this. I feel we might have pushed them all too far and now he's the only one left.'_

 _'_ _He's not the only one and he yes we did push him. Perhaps now that the boy has finally died the man in him will be born,' he said like a college professor educating her on life. 'Now we need to see what state he is in. What was the medical and psych report?' he asked turning back to her and she passed him the file to read._

 _'_ _Healthy as always, but the wound to his shoulder might cause him pain for a few weeks. Psychologically he's damaged and hurting.' She had memorised the report and briefed him the notes as he read them further._

 _'_ _It says here he was non responsive for a while, but then passed the psych test when he took it?'_

 _'_ _Yes I know, but that still doesn't mean he's capable of continuing what he was doing before.' Esther protested and stepped forward to look through the glass at him. 'He's emotionally broken and Doctor Buckingham left it in his notes that he could become unstable at any moment or break into grief. He's holding it in, but if he keeps holding onto it then it will be worse when it all comes out. He suggested he take time to heal.'_

 _'_ _Well he's going to have time.' Mitch said and closed the file over._

 _'_ _The Boss is letting him have time off?' Esther asked sceptically._

 _'_ _Either that,' he paused and turned to her. 'Or we terminate and start over.'_

 ** _Ok so this is going to be a chapter story and I'm only adding this prologue to this story because I haven't thought of a title yet and don't want to create a whole other story with no chapter 1 yet. This chapter story will be about Stephanie, Ranger and her mystery lover. This prologue gives insight to who he was/is. Let me know what ye think._**


	3. Chapter 3

I awoke when I could no longer feel his arms around me, he awoke often and sometimes he slept right through, but tonight no. I hadn't felt him get up and out the bed, but I knew when his warmth was gone and that told me. I could feel his presence still in the room still. When we first started our _well whatever you call what we do_ he always surprised me or caught me off guard. His silent footsteps behind me, those strong arms wrapping round me then his lips exploring. I had learned how to be alert for him and now I _most of the time_ knew when he was there. Just like now.

I turned around onto my back and a bright full moon shone into the bedroom through the large window. The light pooled out onto the bed as shadows of the snow still falling trailed down the covers. I sat up and watched him stare out into nothingness. He stood there silent, naked, deep in thought _perhaps even trapped in them._ I called to him _no answer_ so I wrapped myself in the thick cover. _Now yes movies make it a thin sheet to cover their model bodies, but this is reality and its winter so yeah thick cover it is._ I slowly walked up behind him, my bare feet making as little noise as possible so I wouldn't disturb him. When I got up behind him I realised just how tall he was.

He stood a foot and a half taller, his body aglow in the light, his stance rigid. The sight was almost. _Mystical._ Like some lost magic, calling, warrior? He stood there gazing at the moon as if he was looking at home. I wanted to reach out and touch him, but I was afraid. _What if I disturb him? What if he wants to be alone?_ Thoughts plagued my mind, I still knew little about him and I wanted to know more a lot more, but he didn't want to share. So I gave him time hoping that he would open up at some point.

I called his name again, but still no response. Well a little response. His head shifted then his shoulders relaxed and his body heaved as he took a deep silent breath.

'Are you ok?' I asked softly and came round to face him. His eyes shifted to me and I saw something for the first time. I've seen his eyes shimmer, sparkle, intimidate, threaten, look deep into me, even seen danger in them, predatory, but tonight I saw something else. Pain. Not a little. A lot of pain. Pain he was feeling right now.

He remained silent and I didn't know what to do. _Should I comfort him? Speak more? Ask him? No don't ask Steph._ I looked down and saw he held a phone in his hand. _Had he called someone? Had someone called him? Was it bad news?_ I didn't know what to do now. I looked back up into his eyes and was startled to find them looking directly at me. Pain filled eyes searching me before he turned away.

'Did something happen?' I heard myself ask. _Steph you idiot._

'A long time ago.' He answered me in a cracked voice.

'But you always remember it?'

'Every day.'

That answer made me think hard and a lot about the man in front of me. He was not only pained, but haunted. Haunted by something or someone.

'Want to talk about it?' I asked taking a step in front of him and looking up into his face. He didn't answer, but just looked past me into the night. I looked down and nodded slowly. 'Why won't you open up and let me in?' I asked more frustrated then wished I hadn't sounded like that.

'I do not regret anything I did,' he began and I looked up again, his eyes scanned the city below us. 'I regret the things I couldn't do.'

'What things?' I pushed.

'No lass,' he shook his head. 'Your innocent mind should not be corrupted by the mistakes and dark deeds of others.' He stared down at me, his eyes warning me not to press further so I didn't, but in my mind I had so much more questions now.

'Coming back to bed?' I asked him and took his hand. It was cold. Very cold. _How long had he been standing here?_

'Wait with me a moment?' he asked me. So I wrapped him in the cover and pressed my warm body against his. He was freezing and I shivered against him when his icy fingers touched my back. I even pushed up onto my tiptoes. 'I'm sorry lass, didn't realise I was cold.' He said but I just nestled into his chest.

'It's ok.' I said and closed my eyes feeling the beat of his heart. 'I might have something in mind to warm you up,' I have joked through a soft giggle.

'Let's just enjoy the moment first, shall we lass,' he said then bent down and whispered into my ear. 'And no more feathers and ribbons.'

I smiled.

 **Hope you all enjoy. This was quickly written so there might be a few mistakes. Leave a review of what ye think though. ENJOY.**


	4. Chapter 4

She was sleeping, peacefully as always. I brushed some of her hair behind her ear and watched as her body rose with each soft breath she took. I felt her hand make a reassuring grip on my arm around her waist. Sitting up and looked at her now and noticed just how different she was, _she was so innocent._ She moved her legs and made a noise as she snuggled into me more. That made me smile. _Restless too_. I kept still just looking at her wondering how long this would last, I knew it wouldn't be forever. _How could it, I hadn't let go of the past, I still didn't know where I fit into the world. Would I ever? Could I let go of the past? No not yet, someone still needed me._

My thoughts drifted to her and I turned over looking for my phone on the desk. Carefully unwrapping my arms from her I got out the bed and was immediately hit by a little chill. I didn't bother getting dressed though, but grabbed the phone and opened the curtains to see a bright full moon. Its light poured into the room and I turned back to the bed where I saw her still peacefully sleeping. There was only two numbers on this phone and I called the first.

' _Hello?' came the familiar voice._

'You know it's me.' I began. I make this call twice a month. 'How is she?'

 _'_ _There's no change, no brain activity either and we are no closer to her waking up. I'm sorry.'_

I listened as he explained more of the medical terms, I'd heard them before and even studied them myself, but I always wanted a full update so I could monitor her progress myself. Perhaps I might be able to find a solution.

'Thanks,' I said after he finished. 'I'll call back in two weeks.'

 _'_ _Wait!' the voice said. 'You should visit sometime. Perhaps if you spend time with her, let her hear your voice it might help. It's said people were able to hear loved ones and fight more to get back to them. You haven't seen her for years.'_

'You know I can't,' I began, my voice near hoarse. I turned back and looked at the bed, she was still asleep. 'I can't until I'm finished. Goodbye my friend, I'll call soon.'

I ended the call before he tried to convince me and called the second number. On the fifth ring she answered.

 _'_ _Hello?'_ Her voice sounded tired and I heard a small yawn.

'I didn't mean to wake you Esther. I could call later?' I asked her.

 _'_ _No, no no. It's…its ok. I was waiting for your call,' Esther replied quickly. 'How are you?' she asked in a genuinely concerned whisper._

'Same as always. I'm good. Yourself lass?' I asked her. She had been like an older sister to me and we had a very tight bond of loyalty.

 _'_ _I've been better. How is she?'_

'No change. He doesn't know if she even wants to wake up.'

 _'_ _What happened was not your fault, you know that right?' Esther said._

'It was Esther. I failed to see it and they all paid the price.' _The memory replayed in my head._ 'I'm the one who has to live with it.'

 _'_ _You didn't need to take that burden, none of us knew how, why or what happened. You punish yourself over it.'_

'I don't punish myself for what happened…I punish myself for not acting sooner, for not doing what was necessary.'

 _'_ _He was your friend it's understandable why you couldn't simply follow the order.' Esther said in a firmer voice to comfort him._

'He was my brother and best friend Esther. We were all family. The last thing she remembers of him is how he betrayed everyone. She doesn't even know that he redeemed himself in the end. I held her and saw the pain in her eyes as I watched her life ebb away. She cried and asked me to save him.'

 _Esther was silent on the other end for a few moments._

 _'_ _What happened that day was terrible. What happened next was even worse and now you are running away from something which you carry. You won't run from it because you have it tied to you. You carry it with you, you need to let go.'_

'Not yet Esther. Goodbye.' I ended the call and hadn't realised how cold it had gotten. I ignored it and watched as soft snow flakes began to fall over the city. I don't know how long I stood there until I heard her stirring and call my name. When she said I was cold, if only she knew how cold.

 **His POV and the phone call. ENJOY :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**ONE SNOWY MORNING**

'What are you doing?' I half moaned at his lips kissing my neck.

'Waking ye up lass what do you think?' he asked and massaged her hips with his hand. 'Come on get up.'

'No…it's too cold out there.' I said snuggling into the bed and wrapping the covers tighter over my body. _Now his kisses couldn't get me. HA._

I felt him get off the bed and sigh heavily, then he walked to the bottom of the bed. Rolling onto my back I watched him.

'You getting up?' he asked me, his face in a challenging expression. The kind he made before he was about to do something. I shook my head at him and he gripped the bed covers before looking back up at me and snickering.

'No don't you da…' I squealed as he yanked the covers off my body and from my grip. I now lay there naked and the cold air immediately hitting me. _For some reason I curled up into a ball covering my private parts._ 'Give me the covers back now.' I ordered him, deeply blushing.

'No chance lass. They are mine remember and they need cleaned after last night so move yer arse.' He walked out the room folding the cover and didn't even compliment my body. _The cheek._

By the time I was dressed he was on his laptop, sitting on his leather couch totally engrossed in whatever it was he was doing. _No breakfast this morning. Strange._ I walked over and sat beside him and he immediately closed his laptop down.

'What you looking at?' I asked intrigued and also curious.

'News feeds from around the world.' He answered blankly. _Dammit I could never tell if he was telling the truth or not._

'Prove it,' I said and he opened his laptop to a website that was showing different news feeds from around the globe. _Dammit._ I huffed and he chuckled.

'Got to learn to trust me lass.'

'I do, but I still want to know more of you.'

'You know me well enough by now Stephanie.' He said narrowing his eyes at me.

'No I don't. Every time I ask personal questions I don't get straight answers. Like what was last night all about? Or why do you disappear for weeks or months before turning back up and always have a new place to stay? I quite liked the old place ye had. What about your scars?' I looked at him and he looked at me.

'I keep my personal and work life separate Stephanie.' His tone clearly stating he wasn't wanting to discuss this any further. I did however.

'No I want to know. If you think we have any chance of a future together I need to know more about you. This can't be one sided where I share my life. Past, present and future and you only live in the present.'

'That's the best moment to live in. The past is the past and the future we plan for, but can easily change so why worry about it with so many plans that waste the present and make you miss what's in front of you.' He said turning to me.

'You may think you live in the present mister, but your mind is solely in the past. I saw it in your eyes last night and I stayed awake after you slept thinking about how things are a little clearer.'

'And just what is clearer to you?' he asked me in a deep tone which rang my warning alarms.

'Take of your top and I'll explain.' I replied softly and he stared me down, but then removed it and tossed it on the floor.

'Explain.'

 **ENJOY. I WILL UPDATE SOON. HAD TO QUICKLY WRITE THIS AND WISHED I HAD TIME TO FINISH IT. I'LL GET THE 2ND HALF OF THIS DONE TONIGHT WHEN I GET BACK IF I AM NOT TO TIRED.**


	6. Chapter 6

I shifted myself onto my knees on the couch and looked his torso over. He didn't flex like most men did when topless, instead ye relaxed and let my eyes drift over him. I glanced up to his eyes and he seemed to be watching where I was looking. His body was firm and athletic muscular instead of the gym body that I'm more acquainted with Ranger and his Rangemen.

I slowly reached out my hand and stopped when his head and eyes shifted to it. Watching. His eyes lifted to me and my arm was frozen in place, my breathing heavy for those brief seconds, then his eyes shifted back and I knew he was giving me permission.

I touched his chest first, then bringing my left hand I grabbed his right hand, then up to his wrist and forearm. He watched my hand trail from his chest to his side.

'I want to know more about you,' I began softly, directing his eyes to mine. 'Tell me about these scars. What's the story behind this one?' I said as I flipped his forearm over and traced an X shaped scar.

'Bike accident as a kid. Sped along a dirt track showing off while racing a friend. I was fourteen and there was a group of us racing through the woods. My dirt biked hit a log that I misjudged and I went flying through the air and that's all I remember. I knocked myself out after landing. Woke up and the doctor told me the rest.' He said and a small smile appeared on his face as if he was remembering some good old moments from long ago. I was happy to see that.

'And this one?' I asked him now smiling that he was willingly playing along and opening up. _It had been so long, but now he was opening up._ I rubbed the lump of skin by his ribs and he looked down.

'Had a run in with the local gang where I lived. They used to hang about Solitude Park and the safe route was over the bridge. Well that particular night was the full gang's get together. Must have been around thirty, thirty five of them. I was halfway along the bridge before they came from both sides. Needless to say a fight broke to which I lost and ended up getting tossed over the bridge into the water.'

'How did you get the scar?' I asked shocked at such a dangerous childhood.

'Well at some point during the fight they decided to rush me instead of take me on one on one. I took a blow from a bat to the back of my head which gave me a concussion. They stabbed me with something and tossed me over. Whoever stabbed me had bad aim. Lucky for me though. Instead of thrusting it into me he only took of a piece of my skin.' He shrugged.

I stared at him mouth open. 'A very large piece clearly.' I said my voice full of concern and amazement that he survived. 'Is that the truth?' I asked him as my hands moved up and round to the front of his torso again. He nodded. 'What about these two?'

I know what could have only caused these two. They were close together and only half an inch apart. Bullet wounds. They had pierced his right lung, I noticed a third bullet wound on lower right side above his hip. 'How did you get these and are they from the same occasion?'

He was silent for more than a few moments.

'The bottom one I received jumping in front of a civilian. The other two was just part of my job.' He said quietly and left it at that. I wanted to no more though, so I pressed the question again, but he simply gave a brief account again so I moved on to the second last one on his right bicep.

It was a diagonal line about two inches long and thin. 'Knife wound?' I guessed and raised my eyebrows as my index finger traced it. There was a smile on his face as I watched him recall the story to memory.

'That one there lass,' he paused and looked at me. His arms grabbed me and I gasped as he pulled me close to him. My palms on his shoulders pushing back far enough that our bodies wouldn't touch. 'That one is from my first lover.' He said in his husky tone which made me heat at how he said the word _lover. God that was hot._

'Did she scratch too hard?' I asked in a cheeky tone. 'Surely not has hard as me.' I dug my nails into his shoulders for effect.

'Actually she tried to kill me with a knife.' His response was so plain and I didn't understand for a moment if he was joking, but then I saw it in his face he was telling the truth.

'What? Why?' I was confused and he released his hold on me.

'I did body guarding after I left the Police Force. She happened to be the assassin.'

'Only you could charm the enemy.' I smirked and then moved my hand to his final scar. It was the largest and deepest of them all. It was on his left side, the scar was deep in the skin and rough at the touch. It started at the hollow point where your shoulder meets the collar bone and went down his chest muscle, stopping just short of his nipple. It was an inch in width, but then a small purplish line where it ended at the bottom.

'What about this one?' I let my fingers trace it and his body tensed, I felt the rough lines of the scar and wondered what could have caused this one. I looked into his eyes, but his did not. They looked passed me instead. You know that far off gaze people do? Well he was doing it now, it was like he was looking into the past, far into the past. I called his name a couple of times and noticed his face change. It saddened and his hand came up reaching for something, or someone.

I called his name again, but he didn't hear. Perhaps I was far away now. He stayed like that for five minutes before I suddenly felt his hand snap up like a viper and grab my wrist.

'Not that one lass.' He said shaking his head at me. Before I could respond he pushed me back off him and got off the couch to collect his shirt.

'I want to know, I really do.' I spoke in a low voice and got off the couch too. I walked over to him, but then his phone rang. He wasted no time in picking it up and answering it. I stood there unmoving.

'Steph you need to leave.' He said softly and returned to his call.

I was shocked. _Did he just tell me to leave? Did I do something wrong? Perhaps it was an important call. Maybe he's angry with me, but I just want to know him._ Thoughts jumbled around in my head, but I was more than just shocked. I was hurt. I grabbed my things making as much noise as I could to let him know that I was hurt and angry. He didn't do anything and that infuriated me more. _How can he just be so, so him?_

I walked to the door briskly and yanked it open, I looked back at him and he stared at me. I slammed the door shut.

 **Don't be mad please. Read and leave a review and I'll explain everything in my A/N chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok A/N. Well first off, I can't reveal his name to you just yet. It's still way too soon sorry. I felt I should go deeper with my one-shots though, so this one I took you a little deeper, emotionally (I think) and into his past more. However I probably have ye asking more questions now. That's good if you are** **J** **.**

 **I'll start with the chapter where he was staring out the window. That night as you know he called to check in with two friends. The girl in the coma is someone he knows from his childhood and in order to protect her, he had to hide her body from the known world.  
The second call is to a co-worker and their relationship is that of brother and sister. He trusts her and she covered his tracks when he left his job and updates him once a month about anything he asks. She also cares deeply for him as ye have read in the prologue to ****_Sins of the Past_** **if ye haven't read it yet then do so.**

 **Now** ** _Sins of the Past_** **will look more into his past. (I really should start writing that one. Sorry.)**

 **Now the last chapter with the scars. Well the last scar happened fighting his best friend. Someone he considered his brother and it was the same day his other friend ended up in a coma. The aftermath of that day has left him more than scarred physically and he even aged considerably. His character became darker and things he did following that day destroyed part of him he can never get back and the scar is a permanent reminder of the day his life changed.**

 **The rest of his scars he lied to her about from a certain point of view. How he got them is true but the back story isn't. For example the scar he received from being jumped by a gang is true only they were not a local gang and he didn't lose that fight. In fact he killed them all.**

 **The scar he received from his lover is actually an assassin from a secret society. Also she is still his lover who he works with occasionally. Their relationship is close due to their shared experiences and she is the only other woman he has ever loved. She will be mentioned but make no appearances in any of my stories.**

 **Ok now any questions ye have PM or leave a review and I'll answer them in a final A/N.**


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